Kyiv [Ukraine], September 4: According to Reuters, citing three anonymous US officials, the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile ( JASSM ) is expected to be included in the arms aid package for Ukraine announced in the fall of 2024, but Washington has not made an official decision.
Officials said the delivery of the JASSM missile could take several months as the US works through a number of technical issues. They expect the JASSM missile to significantly change the battlefield by putting more Russian territory within range of the more powerful, precision-guided munition.
Military analysts say that with its stealth capabilities and longer range than most Ukrainian missiles, the JASSM could push Russian staging points and logistics depots hundreds of kilometers away. This would complicate Russia's ability to sustain operations, giving Ukraine a strategic advantage.
If Ukraine launches JASSMs from points near the northern border, the missiles could reach military facilities in the Russian cities of Voronezh and Bryansk.
A U.S. official said they have tried to integrate the JASSM missile onto military aircraft owned by Ukraine. The official did not provide specific types or results of the program. Ukraine operates MiG-29 fighters, Su-27s and Su-24 attack aircraft inherited from the Soviet Union.
Ukraine's need for more powerful weapons is growing as its military continues to face intense pressure from Russian forces along the front in the Donbass region.
According to Reuters, the US currently has two JASSM models. The older JASSM models, produced by Lockheed Martin, have a range of about 380 km. The new and improved JASSM has a longer range of up to 804 km. It is currently unclear which of the two missile models Washington will transfer to Ukraine.
Expert George William Herbert of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey (USA) commented that although older missile models may be less resistant to electronic warfare than the improved version of JASSM, the infrared seeker will help this missile find its target even when heavily jammed.
A US congressional official said providing JASSMs to Ukraine could put more pressure on the country to lift restrictions on how it can use the weapons. The official said the JASSMs would be less useful if Ukraine could not use them against targets on Russian territory.
The United States has been reluctant to provide Ukraine with weapons that can strike targets deep inside Russia, fearing they could escalate the conflict. Some Western countries have also restricted how and when Ukraine can use the aid to attack Russian territory, fearing it could draw NATO into the conflict or spark a nuclear war.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
